Comment Gallery
Experiments in Life
-
A Time for Everything
This photo was taken a few years ago in front of the apartment I lived in in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
“A time for everything” is partly about the sign in the window. The sign not only challenging people to question the necessity of work but also – by putting this in the window – inviting people to look at the inhabitants of this home differently. How did this household value time, value work, value money?
The picture is of course also about the gentleman and his unconventional choice of vehicle. In the Netherlands this type of bicycle, known as a “bakfiets” comes in all sorts of sizes, often used to transport children to and from school, but also used to carry larger and heavier objects. Originally these freight bicycles were used by tradesmen navigating the narrow streets of the city to deliver mail, milk, meat and more.
Here my brother Botte is preparing to move most of his belongs on this rental bakfiets to a new home on the other side of the city. The test-drive is about to take place and one must know that it is hard work to pedal a fully loaded bakfiets up bridges and stay in control of the brakes on the way down too!
-
Half Full
Submitted by Kim Miller in Calgary, AB on 7th December 2010 | Experiments in Life |
A while back my husband and I watched Food Inc, the documentary on the industrialization of our food systems. We were horrified to see how mass production and technology has invaded the food chain. As a way to take action we committed to buying organic milk in reusable glass bottles. Neither of us had ever had milk out of a glass bottle before. Its nostalgic feel and the great taste charmed us. As part of the process the consumer is responsible for properly washing the glass bottles, leaving no milk residue, and returning it to the store for the deposit refund. There is no middle company to process the product container, it goes farmer – store – us and back.
We soon realized how technology from disposable milk cartons had made us incredibly lazy. Our empty glass milk bottles kept getting rejected at the store for not being clean enough. At one point I was so frustrated that I yelled at the clerk saying, “look I can’t get these darn things clean!” I was so used to the swish and squish method used for plastic cartons. Technology removed the basic skill of cleaning a glass bottle. Over the next weeks I finally learnt how to properly clean them, including hot not cold water, soap, and a baby’s bottlebrush. I enjoyed the issue of geez on technology because it put my frustrations with cleaning milk bottles into context. Technology is easy, it solves problems like cleaning glass bottles by hand, but it also creates cost. In this case that cost is the mechanization and mass production of milk, which has undercut quality and the personal relationship to food consumption.
-
Sunonmyfeet
Submitted by Aneta Rzaca in Poland, Cracov on 2nd August 2010 | Experiments in Life |
The experiment: this year I’ve been exposing my feet to sun whenever I can – from the first sunny days of early spring. I feel like I’m drenched with solar energy. My skin glows – and so far I’ve been going without the sunscreen (save the occasional midday outdoor venture). And without sun burn or sun rush.
-
Cabin in the Woods
Submitted by Aiden Enns in Winnipeg, MB on 6th July 2010 | Experiments in Life |
After a year in Vancouver, my friends decided to take their two kids and live in a small house for 12 months in rural Canada. It was a grand experiment in making do with less, with providing food and heat for yourself.
-
Corn
Submitted by Aiden Enns in Winnipeg, MB on 6th July 2010 | Experiments in Life |
As a young person, I never associated corn on the cob with “niblets” in the can. Now I know how to make them. These are from my father-in-law’s garden at the farm. He’s well over 70 and can’t stop producing food for the family.
-
Page 1 of 2
